Desk and table combination



- June 28, 1949. sc o BuR 2,474,596

' INATION TABLE COMB 1a, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY June 28, 1949. A. SCHOMBURG DE SK AND TABLE COMBINATION Filed July 15, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY EHHHHH" HHHHHH H W N 5 WZ Patented June 28, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination desk and drawing table or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of a convertible, decorative piece of furniture adapted for use either as a desk or side table, or, upon instant conversion, as drawing table, and wherein means are provided to facilitate such conversion by one person and without the use of tools or the like.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combination desk-side table and drawing table device wherein a drawing board is completely hidden from view when not in use, while the device is to serve as desk or side table, and in the body of which device are arranged various types of drawers for the reception of essential articles required by draftsmen or artists.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination desk and drawing table of a relatively simple, inexpensive and efiective construction, and wherein a retractable drawing board is conveniently housed in a portion of the desk, and which drawing board may be moved to its D- erative position, swung over the desk top and positioned at different heights for use by a person sitting either on a low chair or on a stool, or using the board at standing position, in short, the board may be adjusted to any position which is most convenient for the user.

The foregoing general and more specific objects and important advantages of this invention will become more fully apparent from the ensuing description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the device when used as side table or desk;

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the device with its several drawers in etxended position;

Fig. .3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the frontal compartment of the rear upright desk portion in one of its preferred forms;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section through another form of the device; and

Fig. is an enlarged perspective, fragmental detail view of the board operating mechanism employed in this device.

Referring now specifically to the figures, numeral I0 denotes a desk structure composed of a floor-supported upright portion I I and a forwardly extending elevated lportion I2, spaced from the floor, and from which elevated portion depend two tubular supports or legs I3 bent rearwardly at their lower ends andextending into the bottom front of rear upright portion II. The

lower horizontal portions of supports I3 as well as the bottom of upright desk portion II are intended to-rest upon a common support, such as the floor. Rear upright portion I I and forwardly extending portion I2 have a continuous desk or table top I4 in which is removably secured a cover I5 for a frontal compartment I6 provided within upright rear portion II. Adjacent to compartment I6 there is a rear compartment I! in which is operatively mounted a sidewisely movable, vertical drawer I8, preferably extending over the entire width of the desk or table structure and serving for the reception of drawing paper, T- square and similar long, bulky articles used in connection with drafting. At the right side of upper forward extension I2 there is operatively mounted a relatively narrow drawer I9 and beneath that drawer operates an extension board 20, and next to the board and opening forward is another, long drawer 2|.

Fig. 3 represents a longitudinally taken vertical cross section through frontal compartment I6 of rear upright portion II. In that embodiment compartment I6 has a horizontal partition 22, which divides the compartment into upper and lower portions, in which latter is operatively mounted an auxiliary drawer 23 for storing long drawing instruments, such as a beam compass or the like. In Fig. 4 drawer 23 is omitted. In consequenceof the inclusion of drawer 23, drawing board 24 in Fig. 3 is of a lesser width than drawing board 24 illustrated in Fig. 4. Otherwise, however, the principal arrangement of the two embodiments remains the same, especially the operating mechanism for the drawing board housed within compartment It. This mechanism comprises two vertical guide members 25 (Figs. 4 and 5) which are held fixedly against the front wall of compartment I6, and in which are slidably mounted at 26 guide rails 21, provided with longitudinal guide slots 28, and from which rails extend at right angles tooth racks 29. Within guide slots 28 operate loop-shaped brackets 30 which are attached by flanges 3| to the undersurface of board 24 or 24'.

Normally engaging the teeth of racks 29 are detents 32 attached to supports 33 which are hinged at their bottom ends at 34 and which are guided within guide brackets 35 and are normally urged towards racks 29 by means of springs 36. When it is desired to disengage detents 32 from racks 29, supports 33 are moved towards the ends of the compartment into engagement with detent H holders 31.

I As may be readily conceived from Figs. 4 and 5,

guide rails 21 are movable relative to guide members 25 and may be adjusted to any vertical position in respect to the latter, and in which adjusted position guide rails 21 are automatically held by means of detent 32. It will be also observed that the drawing board is operative relative to guide rails 21 in that brackets 30 are movable in slots 28.

Referring now specifically to the upper end of guide rails 21, it will be observed that slots 28 terminate into a semi-loop 38, the end 39 of which semi-loop serves as rest or support for brackets 30 when the drawing board is swung to the position shown in Fig. 4, and at which position it contacts with a front edge of forward desk or table extension [2. While in that position the held by detents 32.

When it is required to lower the board, that is tobring detents 32 out of engagement with the tooth racks 29, supports 33 are swung in outward direction until detents 32 engage detent holders 3?, and, when the board is at its desired height, the d'etents are released to re-engage the teeth of the racks.

Obviously the board can be placed into either an angular position as indicated, or may be placed with its bottom surface against the top of the table. When the use of the board is no longer required, it is swung towards the rear so that brackets 30 are returned to slots 28, in which posi.. tion of the brackets the board may be lowered into compartment It, whereupon cover [5 is replaced. This cover, in its closing position, forms a continuation of top 54.

While in the foregoing description a specific structure of the operating mechanism for the drawing board is described, changes and improvements may be incorporated therein when applyingthe principal scope of this invention to devices containing boards of different sizes; In any event, however, both the board adjusting'mechanism and the board are completely hidden from view when the board is not to be used and is in its retracted position. within the body of the. device. While the board is within its compartment and the compartment. is closed by cover 15, the device may be readily employed as side table or desk, and as such may serve as an. attractive piece of furniture. Having thusdescribed my invention, I' claim:

1. In a device of, the class indicated, a desk structure having an upright, hollow floor-sup-- ported rear portion and. a forwardly directed holl'ow extension integral. with the rear portion and being spaced from the floor, apair of spaced sup-- porting members for the extension depending. from the latter and having rearwardly directed continuations adapted to restupon the floor, and. a drawing board operatively mounted within and, movable relative to said rear portion and beingadapted to swing into contacting position with said hollow extension, and an adjusting. mechanismfori the drawing board provided. in said rear portion.

2. In a device as per claim 1 saidadjusting, mechanism comprising oppositely disposed, fixedly held guide elements, sliding elements. operative" in. said guide elements, retractable detents nor:- mally in engagement with saidsliding. elements;- means for holding said detents in retracted-posh tion, said drawing boardbeing. operatively secured all) to, movable relative to, and together with said sliding elements.

3. In a device as per claim 1, said adjusting mechanism for the drawing board comprising two oppositely disposed, fixedly held guide members, a sliding member operative in each guide memher and consisting of a rail having a guide slot extendingalong substantially the entire length of the rail and terminating at its upper end in a semi-loop, a tooth rack associated with the rail, a retractable detent for and normally in engagement with the tooth rack, means for holding the "detent in retracted position when desired, a connecting element secured to the drawing board and being slidab-le in said guide slot of the rail, said connecting element being adapted to pass into the semi-loop terminus of the guide slot to facilitate swinging of the board to a contacting position with the hollow extension of the desk structure.

4. In a device as per claim 1, said adjustin mechanism for the drawing board comprising two oppositely disposed, fixedly held guide members, a sliding member operative in each guide member and consisting of a rail having a guide slot extending alon substantially the entire length. of the rail and terminating at its upper end in a semi-loop, and-a tooth rack associatedwith the rail, a retractable detent for and normally in engagement with the tooth rack, means for holding the detent in retracted position when desired, a connecting element secured to the drawing board and being slidable in said guide slot of the rail, said connecting element being adapted to pass into the semi-loop terminus of the guide slot to facilitate swinging of the board to acontacting position with the hollow exten-' sion of the desk structure, and guide means for the detent arranged within said frontal c'oni-- partment.

5. In a device as per claim 1, said adjusting mechanism for the drawing board comprising two oppositely disposed, fixedly held guide members, a sliding member operative in each guide mem ben and consisting of a rail having a guide slot extendin along substantially the entire length of the rail and terminating at its upper end in a; semi-loop, and a tooth rack associated With the rail, a resilient, retractable detent normally in engagement with the tooth rack, a detent support hinged at its lower end, a resilient element normally urging said support, and thus the de tent, into engaging position with the tooth rack, a releasable detent-holding: element for retaining the detent in retracted position when desired, and a, looped member secured to the drawing board and being. in sliding engagement with the rail guide slot.

6. In a device as per claim 1, said mechanism comprising two' vertical: guide members, one at each end of the front wall of said compartment,- guide rails sliding in said guide members and having longitudinal guide slots terminating in semi-loops at their upper ends, and having teeth racks at their. uter side faces; detents normally engaging the teeth racks; detent supports hinged at their bottom, spring means for urging the de-' tent supports, and. thus the detents into engagement with theteeth'ra'cks, a catch for eachdetent for holding it in disengaging position relative" to the teeth racks; a" pair of loops attached to the undersurfaceof the drawing board and in sliding; engagement: with the guide slots. provided in: the guide-rails, said guiderai ls; movabler'in their ve'r' I6 tical guide members", being adaptedzto be-heldami 6 1 position by said detents, the drawing board being UNITED STATES PATENTS adapted to move both in respect to and together I with the guide rails, and to be adjustable to any Number Name Date angular position relative to the desk top, while 342,883 Stolte June 1, 1886 resting against the frontal edge of said hollow 5 1,299,506 Ph111ips Apr. 8, 1919 extension. 1,759,178 Weldon May 20, 1930 AUGUST SCHOMBURG. 2,242, 45 COXhead May 20, 1941 REFERENCES CITED N Foil-3G1: PATENTS D t m e oun r I a e The following references are of record m the 10 Italy i June 27, 1933 file of this patent: 

